Thursday, 4 November 2010

Dhanteras marks the first day of five-days-long Diwali Festival. Dhanteras Festival, also known as Dhantrayodashi or Dhanwantari Triodasi, falls on the auspicious thirteenth lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Kartik (October/November). In the word Dhanteras, "Dhan" stands for wealth. On Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. Hence Dhan Teras holds a lot more significance for the business community.

Dhanteras is celebrated with gusto and enthusiasm. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. Bhajans ir devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and "Naivedya" of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya. ( Source : diwalifestival.org )

In Gujarat on this festive day which is Dhanteras most households make Lapsi ( Sweet ) as a good luck measure for the coming year...it's very old tradition, which is being going through family generation...Lapsi is a Gujarati sweet dish.. It is easy to prepare and is usually made using broken wheat also call it Fada Lapsi...if you try to make traditional way takes lots of time..which I don't have..I do have shortcut in mind which brings equally good results, to save a lot of time I use the pressure Cooker simple as that...

You will need :-

1 cup Broken Wheat ( lapsi )

2 tbsp Ghee

1/2 cup Sugar

2 cups boiling water

A few strands of saffron.

green cardamom powdered

A handful of almonds flakes & chopped pistachios, mixed

A handful of raisins and cashew nuts

few Cinnamon sticks

Method :-
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add Cinnamon sticks, cashew nuts and raisins.. fry few seconds and add wheat..roast for few minutes or till light brown..now add hot water and close the lid..after 3 whistles let the pressure cooker cool down. open the lead and add the sugar..let it cook till sugar water goes away..mix well...turn the heat off and garnish with almonds and chopped pistachios...Serve warm or cold...

I love your recipe for lapsi. Very traditional. Always make it when my brother's visit as its a very traditional and auspicious dish. Sometimes when we have guests from India we serve it desi style. Serve the boiled lapsi and then pour the ghee and add gor separately !!

The greatest good you can do for another, is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own.Disraeli

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